Portable degreasing apparatus



21, 1941. J. F. BLACK- 2,259,545

PORTABLE DEGREASING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 IIO f F'BLACK BY T ATTORNEYS.

0a. 2i, 1941. F LACK 2,259,545

PORTABLE DEGREASING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 d J INVEN'1 OR. FIRM. i *c/OHN F'BLAC'K base of the can. Y The present invention comprehends a supsan simm, 194i UNIT-EDI. I srnras JPATEN T. OFFICE roa'rma naanassmo msaa'rus John F. Black.- Cleveland,

Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio AppiicationNllvember 13.1940, serum. 365.51

This invention relates broadly.tod sow ng. (cuss-1.5)- ary o eloresoins andthe mazinerin which apparatus and more specifically to desreasers o the type which are adapted to eflect the'cleaning operation in a gear case or similar closed.

body by the delivery oi vapors from a predetermined quantity of solvent to the interior of such .a body In copending application Serial No. 336,635 flied May 22, 1940, I have disclosed a degreasing apparatus 01' the character above designated in whichvapors generated in a can of solvent are conducted to a housing through a tube constituting, the supportind medium for the can and in -which the'vaporizdtion oi the solvent is effected by means of a heating element clamped upon the porting member, and heater of a structure that is an improvement of the form previously disclosed in my c'ompending application and is directed generally towards the provision of a device of fewer parts, a device which may be assembled upon a housing with greater dispatch and a device which is more economic of manuiacture and maintenance.

One or the objects oi the invention is to conthe medial axis of the cutter struct a degreasing device embodying a heater anda conduit, the conduit being formed to accommodate the suspension of a can of solvent upon the housing to be cleaned and the heater .fluid communication withthe housing .to .be

cleaned.

being iormed to accommodate the insertion Another object of the invention is to provide an admixture of a solvent and a protective coatin fluid which is susceptible of vaporization at a higher temperature than that required to vaporize the solvent so that the vapor of the coating material will be generated in order or time subsequent to the dissipation of the solvent vapors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heater of the immersion type which is constructed for ready assembly within a can or solohimailgnoztocireo all the various objects are realized will appear in'the following description, which considered in connection with the'accompanying drawinas. sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:.

Fig.1 is'a vertical sectional view' through one or the forms oiimmersion type heaters embodying the present inventio Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the stem oi the heater, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 2.-.-2 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the body of the heater. the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a cutter adapted tor use in conjunction with a can 0! the type illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through illustratedin H8. 4; Fig.- 6 is a vertical section through an alternate form of degreaserillustrating the application oi' an immersion type heater in a can of the screw cap type;

Fig. 7 is a plan view. or the heater supporting member illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an alternate iorm oi a degreaser illustrating the application of a supporting tube and immersion heater in a can or receptacle designed particularly for the reception of such part;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the base 0! the heating element support illustrated in Fig- 8;

Flax-10 is a modified form of the degreaser illustrated in Fig. 6, the solvent vapor delivery tube in this embodiment being adapted for application upon the bwe oi? the can;

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on a plane indicated by line ii-|i in Fig. l0;-and

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the apparatus illustrated in member I I which is coupled with a conduit l2 adapted for fluid communication between a can vent and designed. to facilitate the vaporization or the solvent and the protective coating. material admixed therewith.

-other objects and advantages more or less anoi. solvent A and the housing or gear case (not shown) to be cleaned. The can A illustrated in thi embodiment is of the flat headed ype, the capacity thereof being proportioned to the volmnetric capacity 01 the housing to be cleaned.

The heating element comprises a core ll having a coiled resistance wire l4 thereon which is provided with terminals to adapted for connection with a suitable source of electric current. The core I3 is mounted withina shell l8 threaded upon the free end of the supporting member Ii which is drilled to receive the lead wires connected with the terminals IS. The supporting member is formed with alongitudinal bore ll connected with a plurality of transverse maybe provided in the can during the fabrica-.

tion thereof or may be formed by a cutter 22 which embodies a spur eccentrically mounted within a cup 22 constructed for telescopic engagement upon the top of the can. The cutting operationis performed by rotating the cap upon the can with the spur in pierced relation therewith.

When the supporting member upon the can the opening 2| therein is sealed by a washer 24 preferably formed of hard felt or leather adapted for intimate engagement with the shoulder 59 and the. outer face of the top of the can A. The upper portion of the supporting member ii is threaded for the reception of a hand wheel 25 engageable with a cupped thrust plate 26 mounted upon the upper face of the adjusted position, to effect the securement of the supporting member upon the can. The end of the support ii is provided with a nipple 21 threaded to support the conduit l2, the free end of which is provided with a swivel coupling 28 adapted for securement within an opening in the n is mounted ing therein to facilitate the insulation of the wires. A bi-metallic thermostat 29a is provided 'on the heating element to open the circuit at a predetermined temperature.

In operation when the electrical circuit to the heating element 20 is closed the solvent in the can B will be heated, the vapors rising in the closed container having suflicient pressure to efiect the circulation thereof through the pipe 24, the conduit 25 and into the housing to be cleaned, the degreasing operation being efleoted in the manner heretofore described.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8, the can C is manufactured with screw threaded ferrules 40 in the opposed ends thereof, the solvent being retained in the can by plugs, not shown, threaded in the ferrules. In the use of a container of this type the plug in the top of the container may be removed and the heating element 4i mounted therein, whereupon the can is inverted, the plug in the opposed end thereof removed, and the sup-.

porting conduit 42 mounted in this opening. The conduit 42 is provided with a screw plug 42 for engagement within the threaded ferrule and with a coupling member 44 on the free end thereof supported by a flange formed in the upper porthreaded end portion engaged in theferrule 42.

washer 24, the hand wheel being adapted, in its it, i? and thence through the conduit 82 to the housing where upon contact with the cold metal parts they wiilbe condensed and how with the dissolved grease from the housing.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, the solvent container or r can B is of the type whichis formed of a screw threaded cap. In this embodiment the heating element 38 is supported by a shell 8| threaded in the supporting member 32 which in turn is threaded upon the neck 28 of the can. The heating element is of tubular form having a pipe 24 extended therethroush and projecting upwardly within the can to a point above the iiuid level when the can is adjusted in its inverted position.

' The pipe 34 is arranged for fluid communication with a conduit 25 formed with a loop in the lower portion thereof and with a riser extending upwardly to a point adjacent the initial fluid level in the can. The end of the conduit "is provided with a swivel coupling 28 formed for angagement within an opening in the housing to be cleaned. The supporting member 22 is provided with a washer 21 toeffect the sealed engagement tion of the plug. I The heating element comprises a shell 46 encasingthe resistance coil 41 and formed with a The plug is provided with a gasket 48 adapted to seal the connection between the plug and the face of the ferrule 40. The lead wires 49 for the resistance coil 41 are preferably provided with pin-l ties of the form customarily employed in electrical. connections of the plush plug type. A bi-' metallic thermostat 49a is provided on the heating element to open the circuit at a predetermined temperature.

In operation when the circuit is closed the solvent in the can 0 will be heated, the vapors rising therefrom being conducted through the conduit 42 to the housing and metal parts therein to be-cleaned, the cleaning operation occurring in the manner heretofore described.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 10, the can D and heating element therefor are of the type illustrated in Fig. 6 save that the lead wires 50 are extended through the base of the supporting member 5! and a bi-metallic thermostat 52 is provided on the heating element to open the circuit at a predetermined temperature. Fluid communication to the housing to be cleaned is effected by a conduit 52 having a coupling thereon of the type generally illustrated in Fig. 1, the coupling being adapted for engagement within an opening 54 formed in the can or cut therein with the instrument illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The

free end of the conduit 52 is provided with a coupling 55 adapted for connection with the housing to be cleaned.

In the use of degreasers shown in the several embodiments illustrated herein it has been found that the metal parts will rust within a few hours unless provision is made to prevent the exposure thereof to atmospheric vair. In order to avoid the objections that have been raised when this condition occurs a fiuidic'coating material, such V as oil, is admixed with the solvent contained in the cans. The coating fluid or oil is of a character which will vaporize at a much higher temperature than the solvent so that the entire solvent content may be dissipated before the vaporization of the coating fluid occurs. Hence, in the operation of the device, the solvent will first be expelled from the can then upon continued or increased application of heat the coating material remaining in the can will be vaporized, such vapors flowing into the housing and coating the surfaces of the parts cleaned in the initial step by the solvent vapors.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to Without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for degreasing a hollow body comprising a can, an electrical heater therein, a tube intermediate the can and the hollow body, a screw threaded coupling uniting one end of the tube with the can and a screw threaded coupling uniting'the other end of the tube with the hollow body for suspending said can and heater assembly therefrom.

2. Apparatus for degreasing a gear case comprising a can for a solvent, an electric heater in said can, a supporting member for the retention of said heater in sealed relation with said can and a conduit communicating with the interior of said can and the interior of the gear case and constituting a supporting medium for the suspension of the heater and can assembly from the gear case.

3. Apparatus for degreasing a gear case comprising a can for a solvent, an electric heater therein, a conduit in fluid communication with prising a can, an electric heater in said can, a

supporting member therefor, a conduit communicating with the interior of said can, a supporting member therefor adapted for sealed engagement with said can, a coupling on said conduit for the connection thereof upon the gear case to be degreased, said coupling and conduit constituting the supporting medium for the suspension of said can from the gear case.

5. Apparatus for degreasing a gear case comprising a can for a solvent and a coating fluid, a heater in said can, a thermostat on said heater for controlling the temperature thereof, means for the attachment of said heater in sealed engagement with said can and a conduit in communication with the interior or the can and the gear case and constituting the supporting medium for the can.

JOHN F. BLACK. 

